300 Anecdotes.
��The strangest applications in the world were certainly made from time to time towards Mr. Johnson, who by that means had an inexhaustible fund of anecdote, and could, if he pleased, tell the most astonishing stones of human folly and human weak ness that ever were confided to any man not a confessor by profession.
One day when he was in a humour to record some of them, he told us the following tale : ' A person (said he) had for these last five weeks often called at my door, but would not leave his name, or other message ; but that he wished to speak with me. At last we met, and he told me that he was oppressed by scruples of conscience : I blamed him gently for not applying, as the rules of our church direct, to his parish priest or other discreet clergyman ' ; when, after some compliments on his part, he told me, that he was clerk to a very eminent 2 trader, at whose ware houses much business consisted in packing goods in order to go abroad : that he was often tempted to take paper and pack thread enough for his own use, and that he had indeed done so so often, that he could recollect no time when he ever had bought any for himself. But probably (said I), your master was wholly indifferent with regard to such trivial emoluments ; you
1 * If there be any of you who by Rev. and eminent Mr. Warburton to this means cannot quiet his own Miss Tucker of Bath.' Ib. p. 502. conscience herein, but requireth ' An eminent personage, however, further comfort or counsel, let him he [Cromwell] was in many respects, come to me, or to some other dis- and even a superior genius.' Hume's creet and learned Minister of God's History of England, ed. 1773, vii. Word, and open his grief.' Book of 290.
Common Prayer. The Communion. ' The son of Mr. Galliard, an
2 Eminent was a favourite word eminent Turkey merchant, is the last century ; the following instances man with whom she has made this show its use. exchange.' Sir Charles Grandison,
' What would a stranger say of the ed. 1754, ii. 239.
English nation, in which on the day ' He had been an eminent man for
of marriage all the men are emi- many years for cursing, swearing.
nentV Johnson's Works , iv. 1 86. drinking,' &c. Wesley's Journal,
' Mr. Samuel Vandewall, an emi- ed. 1830, ii. 133. 'One of the most
nent merchant, was married to the eminent drunkards in all the town.'
relict of Mr. Harris Neate.' Gentle- Ib. ii. 226. man's Magazine, 1*745, p. 51. ' The
had
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